Field trial of solar water heating systems

Here comes the sun

Solar water heating systems are typically designed to provide half of the average home’s hot water needs. But the Energy Saving Trust's recent study - the biggest ever study of solar water heating systems in the United Kingdom - found, over 88 sites, systems providing as much as 60 per cent of homes’ hot water – but also found one example providing 9 per cent. The median across all the homes was 39 per cent.

The field trial ran over the course of a year from April 2010, and measured the energy delivered by the collector to heat the household’s water, the electrical energy required to operate the system pump and control system, and the energy delivered by the back-up heat source – something that is required in all solar thermal systems. The key performance factors were identified as water volume, insulation and heat levels required.

The Energy Saving Trust is calling for a thorough review of industry guidelines and standards to ensure that all issues uncovered in the trial are fully addressed and householders interested in solar water heating can get the biggest possible gains from their investment.

Read the report 'Here comes the sun: a field trial of solar water heating systems'.